Jim Thorpe Officials Looking to Fix Parking Issues

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JIM THORPE -- The latest parking battle in Jim Thorpe pits tourists against the people who live there.

Some residents say sometimes they can't even park close to their own homes and those residents want the borough to do something about it.

On almost any weekend, you can find downtown Jim Thorpe crowded with tourists. Those tourists need to park somewhere, and often they end up in front of homes, including the one owned by Sonya Rontz.

"There's just not enough (parking). There's too many cars. Every house has at least two or three occupants. Everyone drives now. Then the tourists come into town and they take all of our spots," said Rontz.

Because of the demand for parking, borough officials are looking at ways to help alleviate the problem.

"We've got to do something," said Barry Andrew. "You come here on a weekend and this is loaded from Friday night to Sunday night, Monday morning before they leave, and well, it's not fair."

Because it's so hard to find a spot, especially on West Broadway, some residents opted to buy a spot in a parking lot.

Barry Andrew bought a spot and says it costs anywhere from $60 to $100 a month, depending on the spot.

"As a homeowner and a taxpayer, we shouldn't have to," said Andrew.

Robert Christman says sometimes people park right in front of his driveway so he can't get out. He's had several cars towed over the years.

"I have lived here now for 15 years and every year it gets more and more and more and what can you do?"

Jim Thorpe officials are looking into overnight parking permits for residents or more signs directing tourists where to park. They are also looking at how other places handle parking for tourists.